figure out

verb

figured out; figuring out; figures out

transitive verb

1
: discover, determine
try to figure out a way to do it
2
: solve, fathom
figure out a problem

Examples of figure out in a Sentence

a book of brainteasers that even a really clever person won't have an easy time figuring out
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Marketers today face a flood of assets, but the bigger challenge is figuring out what to send, to which audience and when. Tejas Manohar, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 The writers seemingly wanted to make a more intimate, heist-style crime drama without figuring out why or how Riri would fit into it. Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 26 June 2025 That means to compete, sellers have to figure out ways to catch a buyer’s eye. Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025 In Hartford, Solberg is still figuring out how the library system will move forward. P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for figure out

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of figure out was in 1600

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Figure out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/figure%20out. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

figure out

verb
1
: find out, discover
try to figure out a way to do it
2
: solve
figure out a problem

More from Merriam-Webster on figure out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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